Brooding
by Big Meanie
Summary: It's all he does...she wonders why...


Brooding

A/N: Well it took a while to write this. Well, I'm gonna consider this a fic between Cream and Shadow around the time they first started to interact with each other in my other fics. Shadow's kinda mean...at first but gets friendly later.. Hope y'all like this 'prequel' to their friendship.

_It's all he does...she wonders why..._

He stares out at the open field at the rest of the gang as they played together, his distance from them made him seem like he wasn't with them at all. Shadow scowled as he kept his arms folded across his chest and looked down at the grass briefly, before looking up when he heard someone from the group shout 'woah!'. His brows furrowed as he saw it was his rival Sonic jumping up to toss the ball over to Tails.

Tails caught the ball and tossed it to Big who caught it and bounced it back to Sonic. The blue hedgehog chuckles in a 'hehehe' way, before bouncing the ball to Cream. She catches the ball and laughs as she tosses it to Amy.

"This is so fun!" Cream says.

"Yeah." Sonic answered her. He sped over to Cream to touch her nose playfully. "Hangin' out with your friends is always fun Cream." He ran back to his spot in the five's circle.

"Yeah, too bad Shadow's all the way over there keeping to himself as usual." Amy added, jutting her thumb to where the black hedgehog was halfway across the field from them watching them with a scowl invisible to their eyes.

"Eh, don't worry about him Ames, Shads just a big ol' meanie and would rather keep to himself then be with someone like us." Sonic spoke casually. Cream looked over at the dark hedgehog in curiosity, her eyes wide with wonder. She always wondered why he was the way he was and longed to befriend the dark hedgehog despite his antisocial behavior.

After playing with the ball for a few more minutes, the group decided to sit down on their blanket for their little lunch. Shadow still stood like a statue with his arms across his chest. He still scowled venomously, eyes glued to the party in the distance.

Cream couldn't stop eying him from where she was. The way Shadow was facing them made it look like he was looking directly at her, but his focus was elsewhere.

"Hey Cream!" Sonic called with a mouthful of Amy's cold cut sandwiches. He noticed how distracted Cream was and was worried about her. The little rabbit gasped in surprise.

"Yes Mr. Sonic?"

"What's up? You look distracted." Sonic leaned forward, eyes squinting and a playful smile on his snout. "Are you thinking 'bout Shadow over there?"

Cream blushes slightly. Sonic has caught her and now everyone else's attention was on her. Tails smiled kindly, while Big continued eating his sandwich. Amy smiled as well.

"Oh well...I'm just worried about Mr. Shadow. I always wondered why he's so lonely." Cream admits in her little innocent self. Sonic chuckles.

"Cream, it's not about Shadow being lonely, he's just not the people type. Believe me if you try to talk to you he'll shoo you away or something mean." Sonic said. Amy rolled her eyes.

"Cream, what Sonic's tryna day is: Shadow's not the kind of adult you'd wanna try and interact with because he's not very social." Amy simplifies to the rabbit.

"Oh." Cream nearly whispers. She felt bad for the hedgehog who distanced himself from the rest. He came yet he still isolated himself. She decided she'd go over there after eating and offer him a sandwich. After some time, everyone finished their food and started chatting away. Cream took a sandwich from the basket and walked over to the dark hedgehog who raised an eyebrow as he watched her hobble over to him with the sandwich in her hand. When she was close enough, she waved nervously.

"H-Hi Mr. Shadow." Cream extended her little hand out with the sandwich. "Miss Amy made cold cut sandwiches and I was wondering if you wanted one."

Shadow eyed the rabbit with a glare. He was unsure of her kindness and wondered why she bothered to speak to him given his renowned personality among everyone else. He didn't move a muscle for a minute, before he slowly extended his hand out to take the wrapped food from Cream's little paw. He eyed the sandwich now in his hand like it was the strangest thing he'd ever seen, before looking down at the rabbit carefully.

"Thank you." Shadow rasped. Cream piped up at this, smiling brightly.

"You're welcome Mr. Shadow!"

Shadow looks down at her and furrows his brows in annoyance but nonetheless, he unwraps the cold cut sandwich and takes a bite, his face read uncertainty at the different flavors in his mouth as he chewed slowly. Cream smiled up at him with her little fists under her chin hoping he'd enjoy it. He swallows, apparently he didn't care about the taste and takes another bite.

"Do you like it Mr. Shadow?" Cream asked.

"It's...alright." Shadow comments like he was barely paying attention to the rabbit. It was the first time she's interacted with him following the time he saved her from Eggman with Amy. One thing he knew was that the young rabbit didn't appear deterred by his radiating broodiness. He dared look up over where the rest of her friends were and to his surprise they were all looking in their direction with smiles on their faces.

'Were they watching me the whole time?' Shadow questioned in his mind. He looked back at the rabbit and scowled.

"Your friends are watching me." Shadow says calmly. Cream sways her body from side to side before looking over at everyone.

"I know. They were just making sure nothing bad happens." Cream says so happily it irritates the elder hedgehog.

"'Nothing bad happens'?" Shadow's eye brow raises in confusion. "Like what?"

"They say if you be mean to me, they'd come over and ask why you're mean. At least Mr. Sonic said that." Cream answers the hedgehog. Shadow humphed and folded his arms, careful of the sandwich in his hand still. He wouldn't admit that he found Amy's cold cut to be the most extraordinary thing he'd ever tried eating.

"Sonic? That blue fool can run into the ocean and drown." Shadow says coldly. Cream's happiness fades briefly and she looks up at him with confusion.

"You don't like Mr. Sonic, Mr. Shadow?" Cream asks. Shadow nods.

"He's...a 'friendly' rival, child. But sometimes things get heated quick between him and I." Shadow explains.

"Oh..." Cream mumbles before looking back at her now worried friends.

"Shadow must've said something to her, I don't like the look on her face." Amy says worriedly.

"He looks mad." Big added.

"We should go over there and check up on them." Tails suggested. Sonic hopped up.

"I'll go. If anyone Shadow'll talk to me." He said before walking towards the two.

Shadow's eyes narrowed darkly as he w watched Sonic walk towards him and the rabbit. He already had to deal with her company, now he'd be dealing with the one he hated most's company too.

"Hey Cream, Shadow. What's going on here?" Sonic spoke casually as he gave one of his warm smiles to the two Mobians under the tree.

"Hi Mr. Sonic!" Cream smiled. Shadow remained stoic and humphed.

"What do you want, Faker?" Shadow deadpanned.

"Me and the others seen you two talking and noticed how Cream looked uncomfortable. We all assumed you said something to her." Sonic told his darker counterpart. Shadow narrows his eyes at the blue one and snarls.

"I said nothing to the girl. All I said is that the sandwich she brought me is alright and that's it." Shadow scowled. Sonic smiled as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Well, ok then Shadow. Just as long as you don't make Cream cry were all good."

"You're the one that'll be crying." Shadow growled. Cream looked up at the dark hedgehog with worry before looking at Sonic.

"Mr. Shadow...?" Cream asks. Shadow stopped growling and looks at her with his piercing red eyes.

"What?"

"Why are so mean to Mr. Sonic?"

Sonic looked at Cream before looking at Shadow for his response. The elder hedgehog remained silent before answering.

"I already told you he and I are rivals, child."

"Were friendly rivals Cream. Don't worry Shadow loves me." Sonic gave his signature thumbs up, wink and smile to the young rabbit who smiled back. Shadow humphed and looked down.

"Well, I'mma leave you two alone. You're always welcome to come down and join us Shadow." Sonic said before he left.

Shadow eyed Sonic as he hobbled down the small hill and walked back to Amy, Tails and Big.

"How is he?" Amy asked.

"He's alright. Of course he's snappy to me but otherwise he was cool." Sonic said as he sat down and popped open a soda.

"Shadow's gotta open up more." Big said.

"I'm with you on that Big." Sonic answered the oversized feline.

"Well, I wouldn't have high hopes about him changing up right away." Tails said.

"Why Tails?" Amy asked.

"Because Shadow's still a little amnesiac and unsure?" Tails said.

"I'm sure he remembers us all by now Tails. He's just unsure if he should be with us—his friends." Sonic said.

Back with Cream and Shadow, the little rabbit spoke to the elder hedgehog trying to break him from his moodiness and join everyone else. He growled at her but she showed no fear of his aggression. When that failed he scowled and she giggled much to his annoyance.

He wanted her to leave him alone but she stayed there smiling and talking to him like how a child would to their parent or older sibling. Eventually, he started opening up to the rabbit but very slightly. Something about her reminded him of the very girl he chose to forget entirely but the memory will always be there regardless.

"Mr. Shadow can you join me and everyone else? The day's still bright out." Cream asked as she took the hedgehog's hand.

"Well...I—"

"Please?" Cream begged. Shadow looked at her in the eyes and acknowledged the cuteness in them and sighed in defeat.

"Alright fine, but I'm not sitting next to Sonic. He's the last person I'll ever sit next to."

"Yay!" Cream grabbed the hedgehog's hand and practically dragged him down the hill, catching everyone's attention. They all smiled as a grumbling Shadow was pulled towards the group.

"Well, well, well, look who's joining the party!" Sonic teases. Shadow shot him a glare as he sat next to Cream close to Big.

"Cream's got you to be with us, ey Shadow?" Amy asked.

"Hi Shadow." Big said. Tails didn't speak but smiled instead.

"I'm only here because she wanted me to and wouldn't leave me alone." Shadow mumbled much to the amusement of the others around him.

"Oh Shadow you know you're here 'cuz you want to." Sonic teases while biting into a second sandwich. That reminded Shadow that he still held his in his hand unknowingly. He continued eating the sandwich and Amy watched.

"You like the sandwich Shadow? I made it myself." Amy said.

"It's alright...Rose..." Shadow answered her. He wouldn't admit how delicious it was.

"Well, regardless, we're all happy you're here Shadow. Welcome to the circle of friendship." Sonic smirked. Everyone laughed except for Shadow who deadpanned at his blue counterpart.

"Whatever Sonic." Was all Shadow said.

X-X-X-X

Dust eventually hit and everyone got ready to go home. Sonic and Tails went back to their house while Big caught the train to the Mystic Ruins. Amy took Cream home leaving Shadow alone to walk home by himself. He'd learned a lot from his newfound companions and had took a liking to the young rabbit in return. Everyone else he was unsure of, but only time would tell when he finally opens up to everyone else.

"Cream, what a sweetheart..." Shadow whispered to himself as he teleports to his new residence, a house he barred with blackout curtains and newspapers over the windows for some strange antisocial reason and walked inside. He has no furniture as of now but the pink hedgehog promised to take him furniture shopping soon.

He sat on the floor of his dark living room, the pitch blackness camouflaged him well. He couldn't stop thinking of Cream and how much she liked him despite his antisocial behavior towards her. As he thought of her smile, he smiled and it made him feel fluttery in his heart; like a feeling of happiness was all inside him despite his wants not to show it. Nonetheless, he hoped to see Cream again and feel the strange feeling he had again.

A/N: Well, I hope this "beginning of their friendship" fic is cute and sweet enough in all the right places. Friendships always start somewhere and this is how I portrayed Shadow and Cream's. Review, fave and whatever if you want lol.


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